Bandit Alley
GENERAL MOTORCYCLE FORUMS => GENERAL MOTORCYCLE => Topic started by: Nitro on June 27, 2007, 09:20:45 PM
-
A friend at work rode his Road King to work today. We swapped and rode a few miles after work. I sort of like the Harley. It feels like you're sitting in a comfy chair, and the ride is much smoother than my B12. Performance was not awe-inspiring like my Bandit, but if my wife would let me have two bikes, I would consider a Harley. I had never ridden one before, and have never really been impressed with them.
-
I think maybe you have worked too hard today and possibly not thinking clearly. Get some rest. :lol:
-
Or twenty years of ownership will definitely cure those thoughts, drain the bank accounts, and have the good woman packing. :duh:
-
Smoother? A road king pulled up beside me in a line of traffic last week. Rider was bouncing up and down as if he had a pogo stick welded to his backside.
-
I had a pleasure of riding the Electra Glide Classic for about 500Km with my wife as a pillion. It does shake a lot on idle, but those are wobbly shakes, not jerky ones if you know what I mean. Here is my seat of the pants impression:
- Seating position, seat itself and the controls are much more comfortable than I expected. Nothing felt awkward and nothing got sore.
- As someone said before: "most fun you can have below the speed limit". You don't need to ride fast to get pleasure from it, although it's quite capable of cruising two-up at about 140-150.
- Handles well in sweepers. No wobbles or steering vagueness. Cornering clearance is limited, but enough.
- Pulls like a bull. Plenty of passing power, although chasing cages is not what it is about.
- Shifting is clunky, but positive. I just hit the shifter and ignored the sound.
- Technically and aesthetically speaking the whole thing looks like someone added a lot of quasi-modern bling and gadgets on an old tractor. Almost everything looks like a poorly executed afterthought - from that ugly ignition key/switch, to stupid side case covers!
- Surprisingly, none of the above have adverse effect on the ride feel. I could pretty much ignore the bike and enjoy the ride/scenery.
- The heel/toe shifter would be a great idea if it will allow you to move your foot back and forth more. The vibrating heel part scuffed my boot!
- It's friggin' heavy! Don't drop it where there are no other people to help you pick it up. Surprisingly, all that bulk pretty much disapears at speed.
- Suspension does not have enough travel to suck up rough pavement, so I had to aim a little.
- The engine guards are doing a great job protecting it in a tip-over :>.
Vlad on Electra Glide (http://picasaweb.google.com/vladpic/Motorcycles/photo#5065336531040484258)
-
Vlad hit it right on the money. The only time you feel any vibration is right off idle while starting out. While sitting there, the engine does vibrate around quite a bit on the rubber mounts.
I didn't say I was going to trade my Bandit for one. It's just a different experience.
-
I own both a 02 HD Night Train and a 02 Bandit. I have had the Bandit for like 4 years and the HD for 3 months. I like my HD its fun to ride. I wouldn`t trade my bandit for it but am not sorry I bought it. Both my bikes run great and both surve a purpose. I could complain about both bikes as they both have there short comings but I perfer to ride them and have a good time. Maybe I`ll buy a Buell next :shock:
-
Both my bikes run great and both surve a purpose. I could complain about both bikes as they both have there short comings but I perfer to ride them and have a good time.
Exactly, it's not what you ride that matters but the fact that you do ride and enjoy doing it. We all have out personal likes/dislikes/preferences and it would be a boring world if we didn't, or didn't have the freedom to choose a motorcycle from a range of different makers.
-
Exactly, it's not what you ride that matters but the fact that you do ride and enjoy doing it. We all have out personal likes/dislikes/preferences and it would be a boring world if we didn't, or didn't have the freedom to choose a motorcycle from a range of different makers.
++1 :clap:
-
I've never rode a harley- ut I did ride a Yamaha Warrior- nice bikes- just not my style right now. I love the V-rod/ Victory Vegas type bikes...which the warrior fits in- but it doen't have the unspoken something that the the others have. If I don't go the super-sport touring route next- it'l be prolly a Victory next for me.
Anyhow- good to hear you guys first hand reports on the HD's.